Structure fire causes $38,000 in damages

Monday

Jul 8, 2013 at 3:34 PMJul 8, 2013 at 3:36 PM

By Ami RidlingDaily News Staff Writer

GRENADA – A house cat lost its life in a trailer fire in Grenada on Wednesday afternoon, though that was the extent of injuries reported from the blaze. According to Grenada Fire Protection District chief Bill Haars, the flames caused an estimated $38,000 in damages.

Firefighters were dispatched to Fourth Street at 4:15 p.m., and Grenada district firefighters were first on scene at 4:23 p.m. They were followed by units from South Yreka Fire Department and California Department of Forestry.

“Two outbuildings were heavily involved and the fire was extending into a single-wide trailer,” said Haars. All three structures were on a single parcel.

A woman, her dog and two cats were trapped inside the trailer when firefighters arrived. One cat died of smoke inhalation, though Haars noted that the woman and the other animals were successfully extricated from the trailer.

“We had the fire knocked down by 4:35 p.m.,” said Haars. Crews spent around two hours mopping up.

The outbuildings, which were approximately 10-by-12 feet in size, were rendered a complete loss. Haars said one of the outbuildings served as a shop and the other was a washroom. Their combined damage was estimated to be $23,000.

The flames from the outbuildings spread to the trailer’s back bedroom, and Haars said he estimates the trailer sustained $15,000 in damages.

“We believe the fire was caused by an electrical problem in the washroom,” said Haars, though he added that the cause of the blaze is still under investigation.